This invention relates to the attachment of an air bag module, which on the passenger side of a motor vehicle is inserted in a correspondingly designed aperture of the instrument panel and is connected with a support, preferably a sheet metal frame, stationarily mounted behind the aperture, in which air bag module a holding plate connected with the stationary support is attached to that section of the outer flange of the inflator support which extends transverse to the vehicle axis and points in upward and downward direction, where on the upper holding plate at least one mounting bolt is disposed, which is engaged in a corresponding through hole of the stationary support, and the lower holding plate is connected with the stationary support by means of screws.
Such an attachment of an air bag module on the passenger side of a motor vehicle is now common practice, as such a connection provides for a relatively quick and easy mounting of the air bag module (EP-A-0 619 204). It is, however, disadvantageous that in the case of an activation of the air bag module high forces of gravity are produced, which through the connection of the gas bag with the inflator support and the holding plates exert a high load on the connection of the holding plates with the stationary support, so that the mounting bolt connected with the upwardly pointing holding plate is disengaged from the through hole of the support and can drop into the passenger compartment, which may cause injuries of the vehicle occupant on the passenger side,